Leading Through Complexity: Embracing the Messy Middle

Dear Change Leader, Have you ever found yourself in a meeting where half the agenda items feel like routine business, while the other half discuss existential threats to your organization? This cognitive whiplash isn’t just common in leadership today—it’s the defining feature. Consider what might be on your plate this week: Your finance team needs […]

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When the World Goes Through the Shredder

When the World Goes Through the Shredder: A Change Leader’s Guide to Navigating Fundamental Disruption

Dear Change Leader, Let’s be honest — this is a challenging time. The last few weeks have brought more than their fair share of disruptions, affecting us at personal, team, organizational, and community levels. That’s a lot, isn’t it? And you’re not going to be comforted when I share with you an assessment recently made

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“The Fatal Flaw of ‘Ready, Fire, Aim’” How Smart Change Leaders Prepare Before They Launch

Dear Change Leader,   Ready. Fire. Aim.   Sound familiar? If you’re wincing right now, you’re not alone. This all-too-common approach to change initiatives might be the most expensive three-word sequence in business.   As one veteran change leader noted in Bent Flyvbjerg’s “How Big Things Get Done”: “Change Projects, not only do they often

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"Would You Fly This Airline?" Rethinking What We Consider 'Essential' in Organizational Performance

“Would You Fly This Airline?” Rethinking What We Consider ‘Essential’ in Organizational Performance

Dear Change Leader,   Would you fly on this airline?   “We will no longer perform regular maintenance on our aircraft.” “Due to our hiring freeze, there will only be one pilot on the flight deck.”   Imagine an airline making these announcements in the name of cost-cutting. Your reaction would likely be a mix

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When Leaders (Over) React: The Hidden Cost of Unmanaged Emotions

When Leaders (Over) React: The Hidden Cost of Unmanaged Emotions

Dear Change Leader, Has anyone ever spoken to you like this? “Don’t you dare challenge me again.” “That’s a stupid idea” “Who asked you?” Ouch. That hurts. Think back to a time when you heard words like these. Notice how, even now, just remembering might make you feel unsettled. There’s a reason for that: emotions

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Transforming Uncertainty into Clarity

Have you heard our clients describe what happens when they work with us?   Transforming Uncertainty into Clarity Sarah, a leader at a national nonprofit, faced a daunting challenge. As the eighth leader of her function in just 4 years, she was charged with leading a successful turnaround. The organization was in turmoil, lacking a

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Are you Ready to Make Better Mistakes in 2025? Your mistakes can be a rich source of learning – if you allow them to be.

Are you Ready to Make Better Mistakes in 2025? Your mistakes can be a rich source of learning – if you allow them to be.

  Dear Change Leader, We’re starting a new year, one that is certain to contain its fair share of unexpected developments. The upcoming change in presidential administration here in the United States is certain to provide many, many events and announcements that will impact the organizations we lead – both here and around the world.

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Creating Conditions for Success: A Fresh Look at Leadership Development

Creating Conditions for Success: A Fresh Look at Leadership Development

When a headline reads “Director removed after staff complaints,” it’s natural to feel a ripple of concern. What’s really going in our organizations? And what does it mean for leaders like you? Beyond the Headlines   The story itself is straightforward: A museum director was removed following concerns about their behavior and treatment of staff.

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Think Global, Act Local: A Leadership Perspective on Navigating Change During Turbulent Times

Think Global, Act Local: A Leadership Perspective on Navigating Change During Turbulent Times

Dear Fellow Change Leader, In times of significant social and organizational disruption, I often reflect on a principle that has guided me through decades of witnessing and facilitating change: “Think Global, Act Local.“ I first encountered this phrase in 1990, during one of South Africa’s most turbulent periods. As Nelson Mandela emerged from 27 years

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Planning the Work – a practical tool for teams

How hard can it be to develop a plan? You’d be surprised at just how challenging it can be! There are so many things that can go wrong – both in the process of developing the plan, and in the process of implementing the plan. But I think there is one common issue that shows up

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